Verbena plant named ‘VEAZ0021’

ABSTRACT

A new  Verbena  plant named ‘VEAZ0021’ particularly distinguished by its large, purple-red and white, bi-colored inflorescences, dark green foliage, vigorous growth, and an outwardly spreading plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Verbena hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘VEAZ0021’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Verbena, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘VEAZ0021’.

‘VEAZ0021’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has large purple-red and white, bi-colored inflorescences, dark green foliage, divided leaves, and an outwardly spreading plant habit.

‘VEAZ0021’ originated from a hybridization made in July 2010 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented proprietary plant designated ‘2153-2’, having purple-violet flower color and an upright, freely branching plant habit

The male parent of ‘VEAZ0021’ was an unpatented proprietary plant designated ‘M0128-1’, having purple-blue and white flower color and a compact trailing plant habit.

The resulting seed was sown in February 2011 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. ‘VEAZ0021’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2011.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘VEAZ0021’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June 2011 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in the spring of 2012, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘VEAZ0021’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘VEAZ0021’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in the Community Plant Variety Office on May 3, 2013 (2013/1234). ‘VEAZ0021’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Verbena as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘VEAZ0021’, with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing in FIG. 1 shows flowering plants of the new variety in baskets and in FIG. 2 a close-up of the inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Andijk, The Netherlands on Apr. 7, 2014 indoors in a greenhouse. The plants used were about 10 weeks of age and had been planted, 3 each, into hanging baskets of 25 cm diameter for later outdoor use.

The aforementioned photographs were taken on Apr. 7, 2014 in a greenhouse in Andijk, The Netherlands using the same plants as described above.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘VEAZ0021’ AND MOST SIMILAR VARIETIES ‘Flagdena’ (U.S. Plant ‘VEAZ0021’ Patent No. 22,438) Flower color, upper petals: RHS 67B to 67C RHS N57B Flower color, lower petals: RHS N66D with RHS 61D edges and white white Inflorescence diameter: 6 cm 5 cm Growth habit: Less vigorous More vigorous ‘VEAZ0021’ ‘VEAZ0015’ (U.S. Plant Patent No. 24,126) Flower color: Red-purple and white Red, pink, and white Inflorescence, size and Larger, and Smaller, and more dome- shape: almost flat shaped Leaf, size: Larger Smaller

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Herbaceous, initially semi-upright,             then outwardly spreading; vigorous and free-branching.         -   Plant height.—10.0 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—12.0 cm.         -   Plant width.—43.0 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—10-14 days at             about 22 degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 147A.         -   Immature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 137D.         -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Mature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 147B.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—3.0-3.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to hastate.         -   Base shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Dentate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Hirsute.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Hirsute.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 144B.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 144B.         -   Pattern of veining.—Pinnate.         -   Petiole color.—From RHS 145B (near upper end) to 145C at             base.         -   Petiole length.—1.0 cm.         -   Petiole width.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute. -   Stem:     -   -   Branching characteristics.—Side branches are potentially             developed at every node.         -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—About 5.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 146A.         -   Stem length.—About 13-17 cm.         -   Stem width.—About 0.3 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—2.5-5.0 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute.         -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 138A.         -   Length of peduncle.—About 2-4 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Canescent. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel-like, but actually a spike, umbrella-shaped,             large.         -   Blooming habit.—Flowers continuously through the summer             months.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 5 days             in the greenhouse.         -   Fragrance.—Slight.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—40 to 50 at various             stages.         -   Horizontal diameter of inflorescence.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Depth of inflorescence.—4.0 cm.         -   Number of florets per inflorescence (including any buds at             the time).—25-30. -   Bud (just when opening/showing color):     -   -   Color.—RHS 60D with RHS 154D.         -   Length.—0.5 cm.         -   Width.—0.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Tubular with a bulbous end. -   Floret:     -   -   Form.—Sessile; salver-shape, composed of 5 partly fused             petals with a base of a narrow tube.         -   Immature color, upper surface, upper petals.—RHS 67A with             shades RHS 67C.         -   Immature color, upper surface, lower petals.—Whitish, RHS             150C to 155A at center with RHS N66D (purple-pink) edges.         -   Immature color, lower surface, upper petals.—RHS N66D.         -   Immature color, lower surface, lower petals.—RHS 155A             (white).         -   Mature color, upper surface, upper petals.—RHS 67B with             shades of RHS 67C.         -   Mature color, upper surface, lower petals.—Whitish, RHS 155A             at center with RHS N66D (purple-pink) edges.         -   Mature color, lower surface, upper petals.—RHS N66D.         -   Mature color, lower surface, lower petals.—RHS 155A (white).         -   Floret diameter.—1.9-2.0 cm.         -   Floret length (depth).—2.0-2.1 cm.         -   Petal length.—1.0 cm.         -   Petal width.—0.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Ob-cordate.         -   Apex shape.—Emarginate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Papillose; glabrous.         -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Papillose, sparse hair, a few             glandular hairs.         -   Corolla tube length.—1.8 cm.         -   Corolla tube width.—0.2 cm.         -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 150D.         -   Tube color outside.—RHS 145D near corolla to 150D at base.         -   Corolla texture, inside.—Papillose, short hair with a few             longer hairs.         -   Corolla texture, outside.—Glabrous at base, upper part             canescent.         -   Throat hair color.—RHS 155D but whiter. -   Calyx:     -   -   Type.—Five sepals whose margins are fused to each other             along their length, with a transparent membrane of less than             0.1 cm in width and with one smaller sepal attached to the             base of the calyx.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 143A.         -   Length of sepals.—1.3 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.2 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Linear, but fused.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Densely covered with short hair and many glandular             hairs. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil: 1. Pistil length: 1.6 cm. Style color:             RHS N144D. Style length: 1.5 cm. Stigma color: RHS 144A.             Ovary color: RHS 144B. Ovary length: 0.25 cm. Ovary width:             0.1 cm.         -   Androecium.—Stamens: Anthers and filaments fused to upper             half of corolla tube; four anthers with two pollen sacs per             anther. Color of filaments: RHS 151D. Filament length:             0.2 cm. Anther color: RHS 151D. Anther length: 0.15 cm.             Pollen amount: None observed. -   Fertility/seed set: Has not been determined to date. -   Disease/pest resistance: Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant named ‘VEAZ0021’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 